Blowing Up the Brand ─ Critical Perspectives on Promotional Culture

This edited volume seeks to redress the lack of scholarly work that takes promotion seriously as a form of social, cultural, political, and economic exchange. It unpacks the vernacular, the institutional structures, and the practices and performances that make up promotional culture in everyday life, offering diverse critical perspectives on how, as citizens, consumers, and users, we absorb, navigate, confront, and resist its influence. Contributions from both renowned scholars and emerging intellectuals make this book a timely and valuable contribution to the fields of media and communication studies, political science, cultural studies, sociology, and anthropology.

"Melissa Aronczyk and Devon Powers have compiled a cutting-edge volume that impressively combines the work of established and rising scholars who address the power and scope of branding in our increasingly marketing-oriented culture. Its insights about the role of promotion and branding in such sectors of life as politics, art, activism, social networking, medicine, geography, academia, ethnicity, and the media make this an exciting book that is a must-read for those interested in critical-consumer studies and promotional culture."---Matthew. P. McAllister, Penn State University

"In a world where seemingly everything-products, people, politics-is branded, Blowing Up the Brand is a welcome intervention. Bringing together many of the finest minds studying the subject, the editors have assembled a singularly useful guide for navigating-and challenging-the current state of ubiquitous commodification."---Stephen Duncombe, New York University; Author of Dream: Re-imagining Progressive Politics in an Age of Fantasy

Melissa Aronczyk is Assistant Professor in the School of Journalism and Communication at Carleton University in Canada.
Devon Powers is Assistant Professor of Culture and Communication at Drexel University.